Profile management

As work environments become more oriented to mobile devices, enterprises need to understand the security issues associated with mobility. Configuring and enforcing policies for mobile devices helps keep these kinds of devices in check, protecting corporate resources.

Why should policies be enforced on mobile devices within an enterprise?

There are several reasons why profile management is needed for mobile devices, most of which revolve around preventing data loss.

Device loss or theft:

Mobile devices are small and portable, making them easy to lose and an obvious target for thieves. But what happens to the data stored on lost or stolen mobile devices? Depending on the type of device and how secure the network is, access to corporate resources might be as simple as clicking a button. And if corporate data falls into the wrong hands, it can significantly damage a company's reputation

Jailbroken and rooted devices:

Mobile OSs are provisioned with controls that prevent users from installing apps from any source except from an official app store. Apps found on official app stores are carefully screened to remove any suspicious apps that might contain malware. Some individuals undermine these controls and jailbreak or root their devices, allowing the device to run any application, no matter the source. This removes any kind of app protection from the device and can present a major security threat to corporate resources.

Hazards through open networks:

Employees often need access to corporate resources on the go. That means their mobile devices need to be able to connect to their enterprise's network. The simplest way to do this is by making the enterprise network open so that establishing a connection is quick and easy. Unfortunately, open access means that anyone, not just employees, can easily access corporate resources.

Security threats:

Threats in the form of device malware attacks, phishing attacks, man-in-the-middle attacks, and so on each make enterprise data prone to leaks as well.

Profile management for mobile devices

With Mobile Device Manager Plus' profile management feature, you can protect your enterprise from the above-mentioned threats and hazards.

Profiles let admins impose one or more policies and restrictions to managed devices within their enterprise. Using profile management, you can configure profiles and publish them either to individual devices or a group of devices.

Here are some of the most commonly configured policies within enterprises:

Passcode regulations:

Define certain parameters for creating a passcode and configure passcode settings. This policy can be applied to Android, iOS, and Windows devices. This is to ensure that employees follow a basic level of security when it comes to their devices.

Restrictions on device functionality:

Choose to either allow or restrict employees' access to various device features such as Bluetooth, camera, and data encryption. Restrictions can be applied to Android, iOS, and Windows devices. This feature is particularly useful from a security standpoint, since many companies need to disable certain device functionalities, such as USB or microphone access, to protect industry secrets.

Wi-Fi policies:

Configure Wi-Fi settings to prevent mobile devices from automatically joining Wi-Fi networks. This feature is useful in enterprises that want their employees to connect to a particular Wi-Fi network. Take for example an enterprise which has both private and public Wi-Fi. With this feature, employee devices can be forced to connect to the private network.

VPN and proxy settings:

With a VPN setup, organizations can require authentication or a special certificate to connect to the corporate network. With this feature, enterprise administrators can configure the VPN for each device under management, making it easy (and secure) for employees to get a hold of corporate data from anywhere.

Email settings:

Businesses struggle to collect, manage, and store emails in a safe and efficient way. With this feature, securing and managing email is simple.

Mobile browser content:

Blacklist or whitelist browser contents, configure global proxy settings for end users, and much more.